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Considering the vast number of fantasy films made over the years, it’s not surprising that some have surpassed Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings movies. Many impressive fantasy films successfully capture the same magic while also offering something new and improved.

Mortal Kombat II is the follow-up to the 2021 film, Mortal Kombat. The story centers on Earthrealm’s greatest fighters competing in a dangerous tournament. Along with former action movie star Johnny Cage (played by Karl Urban), they must defeat powerful opponents from other worlds to prevent Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) from conquering Earthrealm.

Sony Pictures scored big hits with Into the Spider-Verse and Across the Spider-Verse, and they’re hoping the upcoming Beyond the Spider-Verse (due in 2027) continues that success. But there’s also huge potential in telling stories about individual Spider-Man characters and their worlds, as we’re seeing with the new Spider-Noir series on Prime Video. Nicolas Cage stars as the detective Ben Reilly in a 1930s New York setting – he previously voiced Spider-Man Noir in the animated Spider-Verse movies.

While The Last of Us is a standout game on the PS3, the console has many other excellent titles that are just as good, if not better, in certain ways. Games like Uncharted 2 and Valkyria Chronicles are prime examples.

Despite a slight stumble with Lightyear, the Toy Story franchise remains incredibly popular, with Toy Story 4 released in 2019 proving Pixar can still deliver a great story with these beloved characters. Fans are optimistic that Toy Story 5, due in 2026, will recapture the magic. It’s fascinating to see Pixar potentially closing one chapter of the series while opening the door to a new one.

Optimus Prime’s famous last words and his death in battle with Megatron were a turning point for both the character and the entire Transformers series. This event changed what the show was about and raised the stakes for everyone involved. Even after nearly 40 years, fans still remember it as a key moment. It showed that real leaders prioritize sacrifice over simply holding power.

As I’ve played through the Zelda series over the years, it’s been amazing to see how each game builds on what Ocarina of Time started. Games like Wind Waker and Twilight Princess really expanded on those original ideas. But then Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom came along and completely reinvented Hyrule, basically starting the world over again – it’s like they took everything apart and rebuilt it from the ground up!

Disney and Lucasfilm aren’t currently planning any more films in the main “Skywalker Saga.” However, this has created an opportunity for the Star Wars universe to expand in new directions. Next year, “Star Wars: Starfighter” will be released – it’s the first live-action Star Wars movie that doesn’t rely on established characters or storylines, and it’s expected to significantly change the franchise.

NOS4A2, which aired for two seasons from 2019 to 2020, features Ashleigh Cummings, Ólafur Darri Ólafsson, Jahkara Smith, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Zachary Quinto as the chilling villain, Charlie Manx. While it received a 72% rating from critics and a 79% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, the show has become known as a fast-paced and visually striking horror series that’s easy to enjoy.

HBO Max has been delivering fantastic content lately! This spring brought exciting new shows like DTF St. Louis and the return of favorites like The Pitt. Plus, they added several great titles last fall and winter, including I Love LA, The Chair Company, and A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. With so many options, deciding what to watch can be overwhelming. Luckily, ScreenRant has picked the three best shows on HBO Max to watch this weekend, so you can relax and enjoy!